rink. crash after crash from this monster storm. nearly 300 accidents in minnesota alone. >> it's a mess. it's really a mess out here. >> reporter: in ohio, this tractor trailer dangles precariously after it skidded up onto an overpass. and watch as this bus in missouri loses control, knocking down a street lamp. even the most experienced of drivers, those long-haul truckers, forced to pull over. >> more just keeps coming in and getting stuck because of the hot tires melting the snow and turning into ice and then you can't move. >> reporter: driving and stopping on ice is not always easy. triple a recommends always giving yourself enough room to stop. maintaining twice the distance from the car ahead of you than you would during dry weather. the storm stretched more than a thousand miles, bringing 18 inches of snow in some places. >> it was a very impressive storm, not only on the size, but what it was able to produce. >> reporter: like tornadoes. one in texas, killed a woman as it swept though her home.

nationwide nearly 1,400 flights have been canceled since the storm hit on thursday. a passenger flight in cleveland this morning skidded off the runway as it landed. and in kansas yesterday crews used plows and shovels to dig one plane out. and back here in minnesota, this is what they have to dig out of. and the roads, covered with layers of snow and ice. now, diane, there's another storm on the way set to hit the northeast this weekend. people in new england, bracing for similar conditions. >> all right, john, our thanks to you, and safe travel to everyone tonight. and now the big news on oscar pistorius, the olympic star charged in the murder of his girlfriend. it's surprised a lot of people that he's free on bail tonight. why? and did his medical condition play a role? abc's bazi kanani tells us. >> reporter: oscar pistorius appeared tense and somber as he waited to learn whether he could go home. >> i've come to the conclusion that the accused has made a case

to be released on bail. >> reporter: cries of relief from his family. >> we know oscar's version that is the truth and that will prevail in the coming court case. >> reporter: defense attorneys convinced the court pistorius is not a flight risk, in part because his legs require constant medical attention. he left the courthouse today without a police escort. prosecutors will push forward with the charge of premeditated murder, while the defense alleges sloppy police work. >> the holes in the prosecution's premeditated murder case were exposed. holes that will undoubtedly come up again when there's a trial. >> reporter: pistorius will return to court for a pretrial hearing on june 4. steenkamp's family has chosen not to comment tonight. >> thank you, bazi. now from pretoria, talk about a surprise encounter, still overseas. we head to iran on the eve of nuclear talks where abc's david muir found himself in a room

with the volatile president and david joins us from tehran to tell us more. >> reporter: good morning again from tehran. on the eve of the tenuous talks, we witnessed something we had never seen before today. iranians and americans on the same world stage. thousands of iranians cheering on a young man from america. here on the streets of tehran, nuclear tensions mounting even before the talks start. we learned today of something that almost never happens here, a moment during which iran and america were sharing the same stage. after several requests, hours of waiting, we were allowed in. down the stairs, through the hallways, and suddenly we hear an unfamiliar introduction. >> from the united states -- >> reporter: the u.s. team being announced. but at the door, one more delay for us. guards tell us our female producer can't go in. >> no women. no. >> reporter: but we keep asking

and they finally allow her in. one of the only women in the entire arena. a handshake from one of the american coaches who recognizes us. on the mat, americans already competing in front of iran. the signs in the crowd side by side in english and farsi. "we are all wrestling fans." and in the corner -- jordan burroughs who trained in nebraska for the olympics, beating iran for the gold. and still when his name is called here -- >> from the united states of america -- >> reporter: the cheers are deafening. and just listen to them chanting his name. this american cheered on even here. and jordan wins again. a message with impeccable timing because soon after, an entrance. the iranian president waving to the crowd, watching iranian and americans here in tehran. >> how are you? >> reporter: and in the crowd,

fans welcoming us to iran, so many of them surprised when we tell them we're from the american broadcasting company. one little boy reaching out with his hand too. in the end here, the iranian team emerging with the gold, the u.s. team with bronze, jordan holding that trophy. suddenly, a nod from the president when he noticed our crew from america, but it was the next gesture on that stage iranians rarely see here, a handshake to that team from america, from a leader locked in a long-standing nuclear stalemate with the u.s. and much of the world. >> those handshakes on the stage, a real moment, but the big question will come next week, what kind of hands shakes will come after the new round of nuclear talks, after having been stalled for almost a year now. when that happened today in the arena, one iranian turning to me and saying, i never thought i'd see something like this. >> abc's david muir reporting from the streets of tehran tonight.

back here at home, what will happen to all of us and american life if those mandatory budget cuts crash down, 85 billion by law. so will it actually take place? what will hit first? abc's jonathan karl on the sequester bearing down. >> reporter: with no deal on the horizon, those cuts are almost certain to go into effect. the question is -- how bad will in a really -- how bad will they really be? the white house brought out the transportation secretary today to warn of massive delays at airports across the country. >> you're going to be delayed. >> it's going to have a real impact. >> calamity. >> very painful. >> this is a big deal. >> reporter: and it's not just airport hell. the administration has warned of meat shortages, fewer fbi agents, kids thrown out of childcare, and worse. warnings ridiculed by the president's opponents. >> this is hardship on a whole lot of people. seniors, middle-class families. >> reporter: we've heard about more wildfires, more workplace deaths, higher risk of terrorism, criminals set free.

is there any exaggeration going on here? >> all of those things come from reduced numbers of people fighting fires. engaging in air traffic control. those are just the facts, jon. >> reporter: but the cuts represent a tiny fraction of government spending. take the department of transportation. it would be forced to cut $1 billion from a budget of more than $74 billion. >> a billion dollars is a lot of money. >> reporter: let's be clear. it's less than two percent of your budget. >> it's a lot of money, jonathan. >> reporter: the agencies must wait at least third days before they can force government employees to take that time off. officials say it will be until april at the very earliest until you see those flight delays. >> okay, we are one week out from this crashing down. also in washington, trouble for lance armstrong tonight. the justice department announced it will sue armstrong because the u.s. postal service sponsored armstrong's cycling team to the tune of $30 million. and there's news tonight about how much americans may be

overpaying on medical bills. in the spotlight because of a ground-breaking new investigation by "time" magazine and with it, here's abc's ron claiborne. >> this is where it happened. >> reporter: when emilia gilbert fell and went to the er she was diagnosed with a simple broken nose. a few weeks later, she got the bill and was floored again. >> i knew i would have to pay something, but i didn't think it was going to be $9,000. >> reporter: including $6,500 for three cat scans that the government says should actually cost the hospital about $825 under medicare rates. >> the charges were outrageous. the "time" report by steven brill found non-profit hospitals routinely billing many patients far more for procedures and medications than they cost the hospital. >> they're making a ton of money. >> reporter: for example, one hospital charged a patient $157 for a blood test that they bill medicare just $11 for. the same patient was charged $8,000 for a stress test.

medicare pays about $550. >> reporter: the american hospital association said a bill reflects not just the patient's treatment, but also, quote, what it takes to provide the care, the nurse at the bedside, and all the staff who keep the hospital running 24 hours a day. so what to do? brill says what most people don't know, they can usually negotiate their bills down. so they don't pay the price, like emilia gilbert. ron claiborne, abc news, new york. >> and on monday on "world news" we'll show you how to negotiate down some of your medical costs. and steve brill will be on with george stephanopoulos on sunday. still ahead, it's oscar weekend, but do you look at the price of movie tickets and think, give me a break? a new way to save your families a lot of money at the movies, realty money, next. y money, nex. . [ male announcer ] it's surprising what your mouth goes through in a day.

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buster. >> it can get very expensive. well over $100. >> reporter: many of you told us you feel the same way, love the movie but hate the prices. >> it's just not really worth it. >> going to the movies just isn't as feasible as it used to be. >> reporter: that's because ticket prices have gone up 30% in the last 10 years. we heard you, and the alinas, and enlisted family finance expert farnoosh torabi to pay the alinas a visit, armed and ready with some real money secrets. >> are we ready to save money on movies!? >> reporter: her first tip? >> buy your movie tickets in bulk in advance. you can buy your tickets ahead of time online for any theater chain for any movie and save up to $3 per ticket. at big wholesalers like costco, you can get discounted tickets. here, they're selling two for $15.99. no restrictions, no expiration date. that saves the alinas over 20%. tickets at their new jersey theater cost $11. another way to save, maximize your club membership. many theaters offer affiliation discounts that can add up. for instance --

>> about 30% off with aaa membership. >> reporter: but you have to call triple a. and if you want to save money on those costly concessions, consider buying discounted movie gift cards. they can save you up to 40 cents on the dollar. you can find them online and then use them for tickets and your favorite snacks. so what about the alinas? they were spending $2,600 a year on movies, including snacks. but with these tips, they can save upwards of 30%, that's $780. >> and that's real money! >> and for all of paula's pointers and where you can find those gift cards, head to abcnews.com. coming up next here, a real cinderella story. after we featured the singing walmart cashier on "world news," you will hear how her dream is about to come true. see life in the best light. outdoors, or in. transitions® lenses automatically filter

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48 hours from hollywood's biggest night. that's our number. we have a prediction, by the way, for some of the winners. not the movies, but who gets to -- the thanks. scientists at georgia tech studying more than 200 acceptance speeches. here's what they confirm. remember cuba gooding jr's exuberant dance? >> i love you! i love you all! >> indeed the numbers show men are more likely to wave their statues in the air. and remember gwyneth. >> i would not have been able to play this role had i not understood love of a tremendous magnitude, and for that i thank my family. >> and as halle berry shows, women are more likely to cry. by the way, the experts found every winner is more likely to thank mom than dad. so this year, start counting the dads too. and be sure to tune into the oscars this sunday starting at 7:00 p.m. right here on abc.

coming up next here, a personal conversation with my friend, robin roberts, who tells all of us how to find the strength we may not believe we have. she is our person of the week. if you have high blood pressure and get a cold

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and finally, our person of the week tonight is our amazing robin roberts. as you all know, she's back after her long recovery from a bone marrow transplant, and tonight on "20/20," you will see the whole inspiring story. but here next is some of the conversation we had together, to talk about the meaning of her journey. talking the way we used to on gma, gathering our thoughts, our facts and trying to tame our clothes. >> "thelma & louise" ride again! >> for seven years, we were next to each other facing every morning, the good days, the tough days, and then good days again. when you wake up in the morning, what's different now? >> i feel pretty much like myself. i mean, for many, many days and months, it was just a fogginess. i was there. i was saying all the right things. i was faking the funk for a long time. i was faking the funk and you knew i was.

>> i knew you were. >> i've talked to a lot of people who have gone through this. we just want to comfort those people who want to comfort us. >> comfort through the hard reality that comes with the miracle of a bone marrow transplant. but even if you believe in miracles, sometimes it takes all the strength you've got. >> it was about a week or so after my transplant. and if you look down my throat, they said it looked like i swallowed a blowtorch. i couldn't eat or drink. i remember one particular evening, not feeling well at all, and just slipping away. for lack of a better phrase. it was that give-up type stage. and i was in this coma-like state. and then all of a sudden, as clear as all get out, i heard my name -- robin! robin! and at first, i was like, is that my name?

i thought i was somewhere different. i just remember opening my eyes and my sweet nurse jenni, always had a mask on. so i could just see her eyes. her eyes were this large. she's looking at me. i wanted to go, what? what? >> did you think in that moment that you had a choice, if she hadn't been there? >> i was thinking about my mom a lot. truth be known, in fact, i thought it was my mom calling my name. >> and in a way, i think it was my mom's voice. not for me to come to where she is now, but for me to stay where i am. and i don't know, had jenni not been there. i was in that kind of just -- but boy, she was. that's all i look at it as. she was there and it was shortly therefore -- shortly thereafter

they turned the corner. >> returning and bringing everyone who's struggling, a message. faith, family, friends, and the power you have within. >> i have always said -- and i will say this to people who when they're facing a tough challenge, being optimistic is like a muscle that gets stronger with use. >> what do you see when you look in your eyes, your own eyes now in the morning? >> you know what, i see a strong woman. i know people have said that about me, but we all know our own insecurities and we all know how we really feel about ourselves. i feel strength like i have never felt before. i do. i do. and there's something freeing, there's something liberating about not being afraid. being afraid but still doing it.

because if we wait until there's no fear, we're going to be waiting a long time on the sidelines. if this has taught me anything, it's that i don't care who you are, where you are, what your circumstances, there's a finite amount of time that we all have to do whatever it is that we're meant to do. and nowhere is it written that we should not be happy. >> the happy times and the hard times, tonight robin roberts will take you on an extraordinary journey, a special edition of "20/20" at 10:00 p.m. eastern. and we thank you for watching. "nightline" will be here later at 12:35 a.m. have a wonderful, happy weekend. goodnight from us. tonight an oakland man breathes fresh air of freedom

after a judge throws out his conviction for a crime he did not commit. >> a bay area actor turns himself in on charge of having sex with under aged girl autos new individual yof a woman once reported finding a finger in her bowl of chili now charged with making up another tall tale. >> time shares are popular but for one couple it puts them deep into debt and they don't want to it happen to you./ú9f >> he was sentenced on the testimony of a witness who lied tonight seven years later he's a free man. good evening, i'm dan ashley. >> ross stepped out of santa rita jail and graciously spoke with reporters. he was hum skpbl thankful about the release, it likely

won't have come about without the support of the innocence project. laura? >> i'm here now in court this morning a judge ordered ross set free, also wishing him well, then, five hours later here at the jail, ronald ross walked out of the front door extolled us he's not angry but anxious to get on with his life. ronald ross squinted in the sunlight as they walked out of the front door of the jail. his first taste of freedom in nearly seven years. >> i lovely days. it's a good day. a blessed day. during an emotional hearing in oakland. minutes after the judge set aside her son's conviction, thelma described her joy. >> god is good all of the time i. so proud god brought him through. >> a man with no violent hist

he was convicted of attempted murder after a man was not in west oakland. the victim kicked him out of a photo line up, evidence came to light someone else did the shooting. the d.a.agreed and withdrew it's support. >> there are more people like him in prison? >> certainly. but the cause of wrongful convictions span different crimes. >> ross was housed at san quentin and his attorney says he is not bitter. ross simply dropped his head, crying in court. >> i think today when the judge said the words... he was able to really let himself believe that this was happening today. >> and he already has a plan for the future. >> i want to deal with kids